Production of alloys of alkali-earth metals, &amp;c.



To all whom ii may concern:

lie it known that we, GEORGE (l. Elswiine, a citizen of the United States, and Feline yon? Kiionmnx, 2. subject of the German EHIPQIOR', lioth residing at llolcoinbs ll'ock, in the county of Bedi'ioid and State oi Virginie, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Production of Alloys of AlkuliEa-rth llletuls, &c., of which the following is u specification.

The alloying of metals of the olkali-esrth group with metals of other groups is accomplished at present by melting together the metals it is desired to form into an alloy. This method oossesses the disadvantage that motels like 2 uniinuin and magnesium burn when heated to the temperature at which the alkali-earth metals melt, and loss of mo.- 'lfilllll results.

The presentinvention provides 'ffil" obtaining the desired alloy of. an sllgsliesrth metal with another metal by simultaneously producing the constituent metals in the electrolysis of a mixture of a salt of the alkali-ce s metal with a smell propoition of n salt the less electioositive metal with which it is desired to alloy the alkali- Quill} I deposition of the less electro-positive metal in p ct'erence to the alkali'euith metal is proves ed by keeping the proportion of the suit GI the former to the salt of the latter low. The ions of the letter are, therefoi'e, much more numerous than the ions of the former, and the alkali-earth metal is do posited along with the'less electro-positive metal. The degree to which the alkalienith metal is deposited depends entirely on the relative concentration of its ions, and by regulating this concentration end maintaining the proper current density at the cathode, alloys of varying roportions of the sllzelieerth, metal nice o tinned. The current densit is kept so high that the alkaliesith meta is produced in a molten state.

As an example of the application of this invention, we will describe the production of zinc-calcium alloys. An electrolyte of fused calcium chloiidis used, with a corhon or graphite anode, and en iron cathode of such dimension relatively to the current employed "that the calcium is obtained in a molten condition. A current density of about 6G smperes per square inch is suitable,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Put-en teal 218,

Application filed march 28, 1906. Serial 3 30. 5508,51 8.

although this may be varied consideizibly. Upon commencing the electrolysis, we introduce a sun-ill ropoition (from one to five per cent.) zinc chlorid, and add from time to time sine chlorid as is necessary to keep the concentration of zinc in the electi-olyte constant. Calcium chlorid is also fed to replace that decomposed, but the electrolyte is always kept so that the proportion between the zinc and the calcium salt remains constant or approximately so. The tendency of the curient would be to sepanste first only zinc, but, as the proportion of the zinc ions to the calcium ions is very small, and as We keep the current density at the cathode high enough to decompose the calcium ehlorid, both zinc and calcium are deposited, and we get an alloy of these two metals. By varyin the concentration of the zinc in the electrolyte, We can vary at will the proportion of zinc in the resultant alloy.

In an analogous manner We produce alloys of calcium sud aluminum, calcium and magnesium, nniuin and aluminum, barium and magnesium, etc.

These filliitll-Bfllilll-l118tll alloys are much more easily obtained than the alkali-earth metals alone, for the reason that their melt ing points are lower, and also for the reason that there is not so much tendency for redissolution as with the 'alkali -eurth metals alone.

By regulating the concentmtionvof ions in an electrolyte of two or more fused salts, alloys of varying percentages of the various metals can he obtained.

Uur invention is not necessarily limited to the production of alloys of alkali-earth nietals'with less electro-positive metals, since it may in certain cases he availed of for the production of alloys of other metals from their salts. in all such cases the salt which is the more readily decomposable is maintained of such low concentration that the metal of the other salt is sepereted jointly therewith. lts principal utility, however, is in the production of alloys of which at least one component is en alkali-earth metal.

What We claim is 1. The pmiluction of alloys of elkeli-esi-th metals with less'electro-positive mctsls liy electrolyzing e mixture of their fused comounds in which the concentration ofjtlie ess electropositive metal is maintained so low that the alkali-earth jointly with the less. electroositive metal.

2. The production of al oys of calcium with less electro-positive metals by subjecting a fused mixture of a calcium salt with a small proportion of a salt of the metal it is desired to alloy with calcium to electrolysis, and maintaining the concentration of the less electro-positive metal so lowthat calcium is separated jointly with the less electropositive metal.

3. The electrolytic production of alloys of alkali-earth metals with less electro-positive metals by electrolyzing a mixture of their fused salts while maintainingthe concentration of the less electro-positive metal con-' stant, and so low that the alkali-earth metal is separated jointly with the less electropositive metal.

4. The production of an alloy of an alkaliearth metal with a less 'electro-positive metal metal is separated by subjectin a fused mixture of the chlorid of such alka i-earth metal with a small proportion of a salt of such other metal to electrolysis, and maintaining the concentration of such other metal so low-that the alkaliearth metal is separatedjointly therewith. y 5. The electro ytic production of alloys by electrolyzing a mixture of fused salts of the GEORGE '0. SEWARD. FRANZ VON KTJG LGEN,

Witnesses: F. V. Bmnnn, J. H.'WEBB. 

